Valley to the Masai Safari

We’ll pick you up in Nairobi early, whether from your hotel, residence, or the airport, and embark on our safari northbound to Lake Naivasha. The brief journey will see you pass through some stunning terrain, with ridges, rocky outcrops, and volcanic detritus all around. Next to Lake Naivasha is Hells Gate National Park, one of the few parks in Kenya that allows cycling safaris.

Strap on your helmet and jump on the bicycle to cover a 7-kilometre route which should see you pass herbivore herds with great mounds of rock as your backdrop. A walking safari is another option whilst here, getting even closer to the animals and indeed plants and flowers that grow in this landscape.

After your morning of adventure, your driver will take you to your chosen accommodation inside the national park where you will be served lunch and given time to relax. The afternoon takes you on even more adventures, with a boat ride out on Lake Naivasha and chances to see the thousands of flamingos that flock here for feeding and mating rituals. A further walking safari on Crescent Island will give ornithologists perfect chance to spot the famed birds of the lake.

Evening takes you back to your camp or lodge, where dinner will be served. Included in the first day of your Kenyan safari is:

• Accommodation at your camp or lodge
• Overnight stay inside Lake Naivasha National Park
• Lunch and dinner, no breakfast
• Drinking water, other drinks are extra

After breakfast, you’ll head straight up to Lake Nakuru. If the range of avian species wasn’t enough the day before, a treat lies ahead with one of best locations for bird spotting in the world. The lake, deep inside the Great African Rift Valley, plays host to over 400 bird species, which you can start to see on your initial game drive as you head to your accommodation for lunch.

Along with the millions of flamingos and other birds, this lands around the lake are home to black and white rhinos, as well as Rothschild giraffes; plenty of animals to keep everyone happy. Keeping up the adventure, you’re able to take another walking safari along the banks of the lake to learn about the plants and animals of the wetlands.

Such an active day builds an appetite, so you’ll head back to your chosen camp or lodge for a hearty dinner and time to recuperate from the day. Included in this second day on your safari adventure is:

• Accommodation at your camp or lodge
• Overnight stay inside Lake Nakuru National Park
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Drinking water, other drinks are extra

You’ll depart from your accommodation after breakfast and take your adventure down to one of the most famous safari locations in Africa – the Masai Mara. En route, you will pass through the Great African Rift Valley, where the Earth’s crust is breaking apart and creating new land every day. You’ll find a wonderful contrast with the dry grasslands of the Masai Mara.

Part of the Great Plains that stretches across the border with Tanzania and into the Serengeti, this national reserve is home to some of the highest concentrations of wild animals on the continent. All of the big five of African safari reside here;

• Buffalo
• Rhinos
• Lions
• Leopards
• Elephants

Along with hundreds more species your guide will be able to help you spot and identify. This starts as soon as you pass through the gates of the park and take a game drive to your chosen camp or lodge, where you’ll then take lunch.

The afternoon takes you back out onto the plains for another game drive and exploration of this majestic landscape. Upon your return to your accommodation, you’ll have dinner and a chance to rest in preparation for the day ahead. The third day of your Kenyan safari includes:

• Accommodation at your camp or lodge
• Overnight stay inside Masai Mara National Reserve
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Drinking water, other drinks are extra

Watching day is a magical experience no matter where you are, but in a hot air balloon floating over the Masai Mara is one of the more wonderful ways to start the day. Wake up before day break and ascend up over the plains, with the peace of the night being broken by the dawn chorus, just about audible all the way up in the basket. You will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the landscape and spot the areas you may be visiting later in the day.

Once back on solid ground, you’ll have a champagne breakfast with views over the grasslands to accompany your meal. The balloon trip is an additional extra at $425 per person, you can opt for a morning game drive instead.

The afternoon will take you into the picturesque landscape once more, with a game drive through the park. Be ready to spot the big five, and the other mammals and birds that you’re here to see. Tell your guide what you’re hoping to see on your final full day and they will work with other guides in the park to see if they can fulfil your dreams. Return to your accommodation in the evening, to take your last dinner in the dining room with wonderful views over the grasses. Included in the last full day of your Kenyan safari is:

• Accommodation at your camp or lodge
• Overnight stay inside Masai Mara National Reserve
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Drinking water, other drinks are extra

Start the day with breakfast before embarking on the journey back to Nairobi. As you depart the Masai Mara you will have a final chance to see the animals and landscape, and then you’re on the highways of Kenya, watching life pass by as you progress towards the capital.

Arrival in the city will coincide with lunch time. As you prepare to bid farewell to your guide, you will have one last meal at a choice of restaurants across the city. Once you’ve had your Nairobi dining experience you will be taken to your hotel, residence, or to the international airport, depending on your onwards plans.

Included in the final day of your African safari is:

• No accommodation, this is the final day
• Breakfast and lunch, no dinner
• Drinking water, other drinks are extra